Yoltox
The Yoltox ("fire dragon" in Yallvus Talk) is the flying predator on Ucharpli. Although they are rare, the Yoltox easily means death to unprepared travelers. There are several subspecies of Yoltox - the Northern and the Southern variants. The southern variant dwells in the icy regions of Aggateya surrounding the south pole in small numbers, while the northern variant roams the Yolpika Mountains in the continent of Kytayur. Yoltox have been spotted all over the entire world often flying to other continents in times of food shortages. Cultures from all over Ucharpli have tales of dragons raiding their villages because of this. Apperance A Yoltox is a massive, dangerous reptilian creature. It has four limbs - two feathery wings and two legs and has a long neck with jagged teeth in a beak at the end that could easily crush steel. The Yoltox also has binocular vision that can sense heat among the cold. The Southern Yoltox has a large wingspan of forty feet. The Northern Yoltox on the other hand is much smaller with a wingspan of only 30 feet. Biology To survive in the cold reaches, it is warmblooded and has the same type of solar panel scales a Vaikan does. It's scales are jet black to absorb as much heats as possible. These scales are largely impenetrable even by bullets or blades, though its eyes and a spot just above its juggular remain unprotected. The Yoltox has an inflatable sac just above the gut area which it can heat up using fire Maj. Combined with its large wingspan, it is able to ascend to at least 300 meters into the air. One of its most deadly weapons aside from its jagged teeth and claws is that the Yoltox can expel some of the heat within its body at intense speeds. It shoots out from its mouth a stream of gas bubbles of nitrogen which reaches the temperature of the sun and is nearly as loud as a jet engine. Not only does it ignite its prey, but also stuns any nearby ones. The Yoltox attacks by burning its prey with flames to make the meat more tender and easier to rip out. Its long neck allows for maneuverability of its head, allowing it to rip meat from precise locations. Using acidic glands, it liquifies its food in its mouth before the nutrients travel down through a series of tubes in its neck into the bloodstream. As dangerous as they are, they are in small numbers. Large predators in environments with scarce food are rare, and the Yoltox evolved to fill the niche of controlling the numbers of Aggateya's large animals. Yoltox live to eighty years, but can remain in a frozen stasis for very long periods of time. Yoltox are solitary carnivores that actively hunt whenever it is awake. Southern Yoltox prefer large prey, particularly the Glaceridon which has no other natural predators. Younger Yoltox will prey on either baby Glaceridon or the easier to catch Torrat. The Northern Yolox evolved slightly differently. It is not as strong as its southern cousin, yet it still is worthy of the title of being the most dangerous creature of Kytayur. It is much smaller and dwells on mountaintops and the caves within. Role in culture Despite their monstruous appearance, it is possible to tame a Yoltox though it is incredibly difficult. In the past, it was deemed that only a king was worthy of riding one. In the past, epic duels between mounted Yoltox would often be the single determining factor of a war. However, wild Yoltox were viewed as monsters that raided villages for livestock. There were many Yoltox-slaying expeditions - one of them is the tale of the Khathic hero Burwof, an ancient hero said to have slain both a Snow Demon and a Yoltox. Category:Articles by User:Krayfish Category:Creatures